Expert: Hurricane Season 2018

News

The first named storm, Alberto had already passed through the gulf coast by the end of May. There is a lot of anxiety concerning hurricanes this year, after the destruction they caused last year.

John Gyakum, Professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University

“Though the consensus among forecasters is for a likely near-above average number of named storms for 2018, the vulnerability of heavily populated coastal regions is a significant concern.”

He's interested in studying and forecasting extreme weather in the context of climate variability. Professor Gyakum first coined the term 'Bomb Cyclone' in a paper he co-published in 1980. He used the phrase to describe powerful cyclones that get their energy from rapid drops in pressure caused by hot and cold temperatures colliding.